Death, Life and Mystery

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James (2022) -Shea Collins is a true crime blogger who stumbles into the interview of a lifetime. Beth Greer is beautiful, intelligent, and haunted by the two murders for which she was tried and acquitted. But she agrees to meet Shea for an interview. Past and present may not be as far apart as she expects, and the results are chilling.

Why I Liked It – Simone St. James is a brilliant storyteller.

I’ll say it again, but I’ll understand if you don’t believe me anymore. I’m NOT a horror fan, despite the increasing number of horror stories showing up here. Simone St. James is rapidly becoming a favorite author. My first experience of her work was in 2020’s “The Sun Down Motel”, and I loved it. There’s nothing in this book to change my opinion at all.

Real-life crime blogs and podcasts are a huge thing these days. I have several friends and co-workers who are dedicated followers. So, even though I’m not into them, Shea Collins’ blog feels familiar. As a small-time blogger myself, I also understand the stress of trying to find your voice in the middle of the chaos of the interwebs. When her life unexpectedly intersects with the biggest murder case in her town’s history, she is stunned by the opportunity.

Beth Greer isn’t just good looking, she’s stunningly gorgeous, what was once called a “head-snapper”. When she walks into a room, every head snaps around in her direction. Now add in great wealth, two murders, and two acquittals. She’s a mystery and wants to remain that way.

But there are secrets still to be discovered, and Shea will be drawn deeply into them.

There is so much I loved about this book. At the center are the issues and imperfections in both the women at the center of the story. They are handled with great care, giving each of them depth. Beth doesn’t start and stop with wealth and good looks. Shea isn’t just a needy fan girl; she wants to do the interview right. The story has a good stock of incidents that made the hair stand up on the back of my head. This isn’t blood and gore violence horror. This is a story that makes a faucet turning on terrifying.

It’s the same kind of writing that grabbed me in “The Sundown Motel”. The same kind of writing that will inevitably lead me in search of more of her books (quick research seems to say there are four other books out there waiting for me)

In the end, I don’t know if I’m a horror fan yet. But I am certainly a Simone St. James fan.

Rating – **** Recommended